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The division's objectives are to promote the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the fundamental physical phenomena characterizing nuclear reactors and other nuclear systems. The division encourages research and disseminates information through meetings and publications. Areas of technical interest include nuclear data, particle interactions and transport, reactor and nuclear systems analysis, methods, design, validation and operating experience and standards. The Wigner Award heads the awards program.
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Colin Judge: Testing structural materials in Idaho’s newest hot cell facility
Idaho National Laboratory’s newest facility—the Sample Preparation Laboratory (SPL)—sits across the road from the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF), which started operating in 1975. SPL will host the first new hot cells at INL’s Materials and Fuels Complex (MFC) in 50 years, giving INL researchers and partners new flexibility to test the structural properties of irradiated materials fresh from the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) or from a partner’s facility.
Materials meant to withstand extreme conditions in fission or fusion power plants must be tested under similar conditions and pushed past their breaking points so performance and limitations can be understood and improved. Once irradiated, materials samples can be cut down to size in SPL and packaged for testing in other facilities at INL or other national laboratories, commercial labs, or universities. But they can also be subjected to extreme thermal or corrosive conditions and mechanical testing right in SPL, explains Colin Judge, who, as INL’s division director for nuclear materials performance, oversees SPL and other facilities at the MFC.
SPL won’t go “hot” until January 2026, but Judge spoke with NN staff writer Susan Gallier about its capabilities as his team was moving instruments into the new facility.
B. Juste, J. I. Villaescusa, R. Tortosa, G. Verdú
Nuclear Technology | Volume 168 | Number 1 | October 2009 | Pages 249-252
Radiography | Special Issue on the 11th International Conference on Radiation Shielding and the 15th Topical Meeting of the Radiation Protection and Shielding Division (Part 1) / Radioisotopes | doi.org/10.13182/NT09-A9135
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper validates a technique to add statistical noise to a computed radiography (CR) image in order to simulate accurately how the same image would appear if taken at a reduced tube current. To that end, a noise addition simulation software has been developed in order to create lower-dose pediatric CR selecting the desired lower X-ray tube current.The effect of different tube current settings (in milliampereseconds) on image quality has been evaluated using the CDMAM 3.4 phantom, and the obtained results show good agreement between the simulated and real images in terms of noise measurement. The new CR images allow medical researchers to study how lower dose affects the patient diagnosis without taking new images.The developed algorithm will be used in future medical research on determining the minimum tube currents necessary for adequate diagnoses.
